


is there a knife in your bed or are you just happy to see me?

by ceruleanstorm



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Post War, did i say fluffffffffffffffff, it's sweet and there's no hurting!, just understanding!, major fluff!!!!!, oh and I played with fan theories, one day I'll stop projecting my issues on these two...not today i guess, snuck in a bunch of my own too, there is pet names involved, there is very little angst, they! get! to ! be! SILLY! with eachother, this is all based on adora having that knife under her pillow, yeah but they're just two major dorks in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 20:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18764059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceruleanstorm/pseuds/ceruleanstorm
Summary: Adora's post-war responsibilities are starting to drive her insane, and now they're keeping her from the people she loves- luckily she's got a girlfriend who will sneak away from her post just to make out with her on her bed in Bright Moon.orCatra makes a fun discovery about what Adora keeps in her bed.-major fluff based on Adora hoarding knives in her bed.





	is there a knife in your bed or are you just happy to see me?

**Author's Note:**

> So, season 2 absolutely destroyed me. And I was in need of so MAJOR catradora fluff, and then I thought of this line... and well, you know the rest.
> 
> i wrote this while writing essays, studying for finals, and taking finals, so it's not....great, and it's probably full of mistakes... that being said, i hope you enjoy it :)
> 
> little warning for some sexual situations and language, but it's pretty tame so I kept the rating the at T.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

_ I love Bow’s dads and all,  _ Adora sighed and pressed two fingers to her aching temple,  _ but George’s handwriting is  _ impossible  _ to read!  _ Bringing the parchment forward (why did it smell like strawberries- right  _ Bow’s  _ family.) and squinting despite her burgeoning headache, Adora’s line of sight traced the messy scribbles for the tenth time trying to to decipher the last couple of lines of his letter- honestly she’d been at the 3rd postscript so long she’d totally forgotten what the first part was even about- only able to recognize words like “Entrapta” and “Emissary” and “Eternia.” But only because their ongoing correspondence surrounded all of that post war hod-podge (George’s word, not hers- Adora liked cluster fuck and saw it more fitting). And because George had  _ really,  _ fancy elaborate capital E’s.

“And I thought Glimmer’s handwriting was bad,” Adora snorted, her laughter echoing off the walls of her Bright Moon chamber. Only in a room so spacious it was enough to hide a battalion, there was no one but Adora and her growing mountain of letters, books, scrolls, and dusty parchments that had her sneezing violently, all crowding her small twin mattress. The rest of the castle mirrored her room; barren and empty with the exception of a few palace guards and a lounging staff member here and there. Glimmer and her family were gone, working on relocating Etheria’s refugees in hopes of lightening the strain the displaced families had placed on Bright Moon’s resources. Bow had also ditched about three days ago. All Netossa and Spinnerella had to say was “we need a babysitter” and Bow was putting on his so called ‘god father pants,’- an actual pair of pants he’d designated for this very job- rushing out the door on  _ Swift Wind  _ of all traitors before he could even ask “Adora, do you by any chance want to come?”

Dumb Bow. Dumber Swift Wind. Adora had  _ just  _ got back to Bright Moon herself and was looking forward to spending- well, wasting- time with all of them, despite her exhaustion from just running around the world as She Ra. But  _ nooo.  _ No one would be coming home until tonight, leaving Adora with an empty, echoing castle, a mountain of paranoia, and a mountain of paperwork she’d gone all the way to  _ Plumeria _ to avoid.

Turns out She-Ra made Adora immune to forces of all kind- but not procrastination.

 _What in Grayskull is this stupid word?_ Adora grunted, kicking her leg out in frustration and pushing a whole freaking pile of “research” onto the floor. Didn’t help that George and Lance both were experimenting with First One’s writing and just sticking random First One words into sentences. So not only was the penmanship terrible in _both_ languages, but Adora’s tired brain was forced to switch between two different languages only for the message of the paragraph to be completely obliterated by Bow’s dads confusing _basic_ Eternian vocabulary. (Seriously they had been over this a _million_ times) “The _olive_ was successful in connecting Entrapta’s computer with Eternia’s outgoing, mmm ongoing, signal- what, _what_ does that mean?” she shouted at the paper, shaking it until it tore under the force of her grip. Well, that was the fourth time that happened. Maybe strawberry scented parchment wasn’t actually the strongest. “Ugh, maybe I should just ask Bow to read it to me when he gets back.”

“Read what?” A voice, coming from her open door- when did the door open- asked in lilted curiosity.

Adora’s flight-or-fight mode hit her like a freaking Horde tank. A pretty pathetic yelp escaped her as the multitude of letters flew up in the air, books spilling and scrolls unrolling, the result of her limbs falling out from under her. The force of the scare was enough to knock her backwards and Adora somersaulted backwards oh so gracefully, her cheek meeting cold stone floor right as she realized just as she realized just  _ who  _ had scared her. Even if the quiet voice didn’t give it away, the muffled laughter definitely did.

“Catra.” Adora’s pony tail hit her mouth as she whipped her head up.

She was met with split eyes and a familiar wicked smile looking down on her. “Hey Adora.”

Adora rolled her eyes, fighting back a grin of her own. “Was scaring me really necessary?” Rolling over on her knees, Adora reached for the ledge of the bed to pull herself up, but a hand was already extended and waiting for her.

“Duh,” Catra grunted, the force of Adora’s weight pulling them both down on the bed, their foreheads knocking together. “I have to make sure the mighty She Ra doesn’t lose her edge, babe.”

“Oh, and that’s your duty?” Adora asked, a warmth spreading like wildfire in her chest at the pet name. Yes, it had been years, but it just… it never got old. Nothing about her ever did. “Scaring your fiancée like that?

It was Catra’s turn to glow at their terminology. Biting back a smile, Adora nudged her.  _ This is the woman I’m going to get to spend the rest of my life with.  _ Catra reciprocated with a forceful nudge of her own, split eyes meeting ocean ones. Adora knew. Catra was thinking the same thing she was.

_ My future wife is a huge dork. _

“Of course, babe. And I take it very seriously, by the way. I know how lazy you can get, Adora.” Catra snickered, her tail wrapping around Adora’s wrist. As easy as it was for Adora to roll her eyes, it was almost impossible for her to deny Catra anything she wanted. Resting her head in the crook of her neck, Adora decided to _that_ stoop low and punch her fiancée in the boob.

You know, just to see what would happen.  

“ _ Ow, _ Adora!”

“That’s for scaring me and making me fall off my bed- _ FUCK. _ ”

The next few motions were a complete blur, even for Adora, Etheria’s greatest and strongest warrior. Catra blocked Adora’s playful attempt to shove her, catching both of her wrists in one swift motion, and before she could say “For the honor of Grayskull!” Catra had flipped her onto the pillow with an  _ umph  _ and was now straddling her  _ -nice- _ keeping her arms pinned up right at the edge of the bed.

Adrenaline coursing through her body, banging on her heart like a steel drum, Adora swallowed, trying not to moan or growl or give Catra  _ any _ other kind of  satisfaction. On any other day, she could save face before giving into to her girlfriend, but it had been  _ weeks  _ since they had seen each other  and this was how Catra was choosing to play it? Oh, so not fair. Adora flexed the muscles of her wrists, catching the sting of Catra’s claws, as a little retaliation.  _ There’s more where that came from, babe. _

Breathless, Catra smirked, a gleam in her eyes that Adora knew all too well. “ _ That’s  _ how you stay alert Princess.”

“Thanks for the refresher,” Adora smiled up at her.  _ She looks really good up there _ . Okay, yeah, Catra had won this round. Well, it wasn’t really a competition anymore, but Adora thought it right to surrender while things were in her favor- say, like having her girlfriend, who she hadn’t seen in 23 days and fourteen hours but who’s counting- on top of her.

Catra had postwar responsibilities, just like the rest of them. Never a member of the alliance yet had cut her chains from the Horde years prior, Catra had her own set of refugees to look after. She had also, in Adora’s opinion, valiantly shouldered many of the diplomatic demands of disabling the Horde and streamlining the territory and acquainted enterprises into the kingdom of Dryl with the help of several other sovereign rulers; such draining work was made even more difficult because Catra was still not on speaking terms with Entrapta and most decisions had to go through Scorpia and Lonnie. Mostly it meant what was surrounding the two of them now, hoards (no pun intended) of paperwork to go through, a menial task that never held Catra’s interest- Adora couldn’t blame her- and therefore made the whole process way longer than it needed to be.

Catra was stretched thin between the Horde’s neighboring kingdoms and her own, and Adora’s diplomacy almost never brought her there. Adora, or more accurately She Ra’s, job was to ensure successful transitions of power in peace in every land in a Etheria… and there were a  _ lot _ of lands in Etheria. Between runestones of the fritz, destabilized monarchies, and the planet adjusting to its new position Adora was spending so much time as her alter ego’s form that she kept forgetting she didn’t have to duck when going through doors when she got back to Bright Moon. She and Catra had to force time into their schedules to see each other, running off to their secret little house in the Whispering Woods in between missions and meetings.

It was hard to put a pause on blooming love, hard to put a pause on healing. What made it even more excruciatingly difficult was watching everyone, the princess alliance, the Royal Council, regular ol’ Etherians, move on with their lives while Adora and Catra put aside their future just to make sure Etheria actually had one.

“Oh,  _ anytime  _ Princess.” Catra released Adora’s wrists, stroking her still throbbing cheek as a soft, silent apology. Now, if only either of them could promise each other  _ time _ . “Hey, I’m here, doofus. Don’t think like that.” Catra’s voice fell to a whisper. Apparently, Adora was a lot easier to read than George and Lance’s letters. And it’s not like they hadn’t had this conversation before.

Adora opened her mouth to reply but her fiancée but her to it. “And  _ don’t  _ apologize either, babe. You didn’t do anything wrong.” winked Catra.

_ Wow, she’s good,  _ Adora thought to herself, her breathing suddenly much easier. It was nice to be back in sync, after years at each other's throats- and  _ not  _ for a good reason. Hiking herself up on her elbows, Adora brought her hand up to the new broach adorning Catra’s chest. Bright gold, unlike the brazen neon green of her- or their- Force Captain badge, glimmering in the light and engraved with a symbol that stood for the opposite of their once home’s destruction and imperialism. With a few stark differences, it was almost identical to the new insignia Adora wore on her back. The symbol of the Princess Alliance. “This is new.”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, this thing. Courtesy of the Royal Council. Not bad for the youngest member, huh?” the corner of Catra’s mouth perked up just a little, but the excited dilation of her beautiful eyes betrayed her cool exterior, like she was practically begging like a little cadet _ please validate me, please validate me, please validate me. _

“Yeah, if you’re into that sort of thing.” joked Adora. Catra’s mouth fell and she rolled her eyes, shifting her weight like she meant to get off her.  _ What,  _ you  _ wanted to flirt!  _ But Adora grabbed her hand and her attention, whispering “I am proud of you, you know that, right?.”

Catra couldn’t blush, so Adora only knew she had an effect when she pawed at the hair behind her ear. “Whatever… you couldn't actually be as proud of me as much as I am of you.” she muttered the last few of words as she visibly fought a small smile.

“Oh, cheesy!” laughed Adora, earning another dramatic eye roll. She knew that she was the only lucky enough to see this side of Catra, the only one privileged to see all the walls crumbling down. Knowing that Catra was actually _proud_ of her, for all the work she’d done to end the war even though it had such an awful cost to their relationship _,_ that was everything. And it really showed how far they had come in the trying years that followed. To make sure her girlfriend didn’t try and flee again, Adora began rubbing tiny circles in the future of Catra’s hand, reveling in everything that was the amazing woman in front of her- well, _on top_ of her, Adora had _not_ forgotten about that, when she realized something. “Um, the badge is really impressive, but uh- I think you’re missing something?” She locked eyes with her fiancée, bringing up her own hand and wiggling her fingers. The light of Etheria’s moons streaming through Adora’s windows flickered off the stone of her engagement ring.

“Oh.” Catra’s eyes went wide and Adora panicked for a split second.  _ She did not!  _ “Before you say anything, I  _ didn’t  _ lose it, I’m just keeping it in a safe place.”

“Okay...where is that?” Adora’s eyebrows flew up.

What she saw next Adora did not expect and could not have guessed even if she was given hints. Catra let go of Adora and reached down in the window of her new uniform- also courtesy of the Royal Council and man, was Adora  _ high key _ enjoying it- and pulled out the ring Adora had proposed with a month ago. Many couples from cultures all over Etheria exchanged important pieces of jewelry with their betrothed. Necklaces and chokers were the most common. The idea of rings Adora learned from Bow’s fathers and they had learned about the tradition studying the First Ones, who continued the tradition long after settling the planet. Adora thought it was appropriate, given her extraterrestrial heritage. “It- your engagement ring was in your boobs?” Adora stifled her laughter.

“I told you,” Catra stuck her tongue out as she slid the rose gold onto her ring finger, “I was keeping it safe.”

“Oh. Is- is that the only reason?” Adora wasn’t sure what had her asking that question. She didn’t know if it was her desire to be mature because their relationship meant literally meant more than the universe to her, or if it was just her stupid, nagging anxiety.

Catra shrugged, but her expression wasn’t guarded and Adora’s shoulders relaxed just the slightest. “If some dumb ex-horde soldier stole it to pawn it or something, I’d be pissed Adora. Like, I pretty sure I would start killing people. You know how they’re always trying to steal my stuff! And...” she looked down, biting her lip with a single incisor, “I dunno, I’m really, really happy and that’s just weird, but all this it’s- it’s also… so grown up. Like, how am I supposed to tell Scorpia or Lonnie I’m getting married? Or the Council? And how do I make sure they don’t talk my ear off about it so we can get work done so that you and I can actually  _ get  _ married?”

“I- I don’t know.” sighed Adora, resting her hand on Catra’s cheek, “but we’ll figure out okay?”  _ That  _ Adora could promise. They were a team, a ring on Catra’s finger or not, stronger, smarter,  _ better  _ together. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

Practically melting into her touch, a light purr started from Catra’s throat. _I missed this,_ Adora stroked her cheek, _I really,_ really _missed this._ Catra’s hand met hers, still cupping her face. “Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I actually haven’t told Bow and Glimmer.”

“Wait really?” Catra scoffed, her eyes flying open. “Figured all of Eternia would know soon as they saw your ring.”

“Fair point, but they haven’t seen anything because I’ve been so busy. I was hoping to see them on this visit but…”

“They played hooky again?” Catra finished for her and Adora threw her head back. So much for Bright Moon being the cornerstone of the victorious rebellion, where everything was happening and everyone was dying to be. Catra had been Adora’s first real interaction in three days, not counting the orphaned refugees she went to play with in the name of procrastinating George’s letter mountain.  _ Hey, wait a second. _

“Wait, babe, why did  _ you  _ come to Bright Moon?”

“What, I can’t come and see you whenever I please? We’re not exactly at war anymore, dummy, none of the guards are waving sharp things at me anymore.”  _ Whatever, you probably still snuck past them for fun. _

“Okay,” Adora continued, “but why come all the way to the castle? You could’ve told me to come to woods and I would’ve,  _ dummy.” _

Catra’s next response was something of a vague mumble, and her gaze fell from away.  _ What? What’s wrong? What happened back at the Horde- OH.  _ A smile the size of one of the planet’s moons crept onto Adora’s face. “Holy Eternia, you missed me! You missed me! Oh, this is sweet-” she started, only to get rightfully interrupted again by a forceful shove back onto her pillow.

“Of  _ course  _ I missed you, I  _ always  _ miss you!” Catra rose up, getting right into Adora’s face until their foreheads were just barely touching. Adora’s eyes widened and she tightened her grip on her fiancée’s hand. “I just- I couldn’t take it anymore and didn’t want to two freaking weeks until the woods. Was stuck in a stupid meeting when I heard you were gonna be in Bright Moon, so I stole a skiff, abandoned Lonnie at our post and came here.”  _ Awe, she abandoned Lonnie for me.  _ “You know, you’re a pain in my ass… but it’s  _ so  _ hard being away from you.”

Instinct took over, and Adora found her hand in the fur behind Catra’s ear. She did have about a million questions, like was the meeting really important, also would Catra face any penalties (which had been her main worry despite the Council’s admirable standing since you know, Hordak tried to kill her- twice) but there was a much louder, intent voice in the back of her mind screaming  _ your girlfriend is RIGHT THERE and she skipped out of all of her duties just to see you now is not the time to panic, Adora!  _ “Hey, I miss you too, babe. Literally all the time, it’s kinda driving me crazy, so thank you for that.”

“Shut up.” whispered Catra, her voice soft and blissful, her lips hovering just above Adora’s.

“Gladly.”

And that was all it took. Catra’s lips met her own, pleasure and euphoria exploding within Adora.  _ Finally.  _ Adora channeled everything she had into this kiss, a hello, an I missed you, an I love you more than anything, trying not to smile against the warmth of Catra’s lips. She tasted like cinnamon and smoke. Back arching into the familiar territory of her fiancée, her fingers wove their way through the mane of hair Adora found herself dreaming about late at night, when her loneliness- and frustration- were enough to move mountains.  _ Don’t go,  _ Adora thought to herself as their noses brushed and Catra’s tongue traced her bottom lip, trying to ignore her impending sadness and just lose herself in her current joy,  _ don’t ever go.   _

Her purring crescendoing, Catra’s hand fiddled with the edge of Adora’s shirt, before the tickling feel of her claws tracing her muscles had literal sparks exploding in Adora’s chest. “Mmm,” the moan slipped past her throat without warning, giving her girlfriend a boost in her ego.

“You like that.” Catra broke away just to tease her and stroking her stomach just to prove her point.  _ Ugh, just let her have this, this is how she likes it at the start. In a couple of minutes, though...  _ Only Adora didn’t say anything, didn’t even bother calling her out for being a tease, because she was too focused on bringing them back together.  _ No talking,  _ she pulled Catra back down- not before catching the wild grin on her face-  _ not right now. _

Catra set back to her work, Adora reciprocating in full force, parting her lips with a breathless gasp as an open invitation. Claws still trailing up Adora’s exposed stomach, Catra took the invention almost greedily.  _ Oh, this is so much better than reading those stupid letters!  _ Coherent thoughts began to blur after that. Because nothing else mattered than this. Adora was with the person she loved more than she ever thought could someone, and that someone loved her with a love more than Adora could ever deserve.

The bed dipped just a little as Catra tried to get closer, consequently grinding on Adora’s hips that all her pent frustration was almost  _ betrayed  _ ( _ she’s just  _ begging  _ to get a rise out of me!),  _ and Catra’s grip on the sheet slipped, sending her claws knocking a bunch of scrolls and books off the bed and under Adora’s pillow.

“Shit-fuck, sorry” squeaked Catra, jerking upwards and away from Adora.

“S’fine.” Adora told her, licking her swollen lips. They’d knocked over plenty of random, unimportant- and sometimes important things- making out before, had enough spills and slips.  _ And interruptions _ , Adora thought with a grimace and she cast a glance down at her reading materials.  _ George and Lance are  _ super  _ lucky I love them. And that I’m the only the can really read this stuff... _

“Adora?”

“Huh?” was her half hearted response as she looked up her girlfriend.

“Is there a knife in your bed or are you just happy to see me?” Catra asked, her laughter low and resonating in her throat.

“ _ Huh _ ?” Adora repeated. What-what was going on? What were they talking about. She was pretty sure her brain had just exploded, triggered by her extremely hot future wife saying  _ that  _ to her.

Catra rolled her eyes and muttered something about a ‘loveable dumbass’ before whisking out the knife Adora kept under her pillow.  _ Oh, I forgot about that.  _ “This is pretty impressive.” she said, running an extended claw over the length of blade. “Jewel is kinda flashy. So Bright Moon, ugh- that ruins it babe.”

“It does the  _ job,  _ Catra.” Adora stuck her tongue out and right away, almost acting on instinct, Catra stuck her own out.

“And the job is…” Catra trailed off, pointing the knife in her direction. The smirk was back.

Sighing, Adora yanked the knife out of her hands. It’s not like she needed any reminders out what it was like to have Catra holding weapons against her jugular, even she was just being playful. Or sexual. At this point she couldn’t tell- but that didn’t matter. “It’s- it’s for protection, okay? I can’t exactly sleep with the sword.”

“I know, I watched you try.” Catra peeled herself off her hips and Adora’s cheeks lit up like they were on fire. Stars, she wished she could just erase  _ that  _ memory from her brain; Adora was never exactly trustful of any room she was in, a result of growing in an environment where almost everything and everybody was trying to kill you. Bright Moon and the other liberated kingdoms might have had a different, safer vibe but that didn’t stop things from going bump in the night. And after that first night in Mystacore… it was well, better safe than sorry. Sleep was crucial yet a battle in it of itself. Except Adora didn’t have to tell Catra about how Shadow Weaver spied on her, used her own voice to manipulate her, or how she then manipulated Catra into letting her out of the Fright Zone and then used her freedom to make several attempts to kidnap Adora.

Yeah...they had talked about that.

Still, Adora harboured a deep distrust of shapes that left shadows and moments she had no control over, hence the desire to sleep with a sharp object under her pillow. What Catra was talking about was when her neuroticism took it a step further. Three Whispering Woods retreats ago, Adora found herself overwhelmingly paranoid of absolutely  _ everything _ . If it moved, if it spoke, if it existed and took up space. Possibly cause the anniversary of Shadow Weaver’s final fall was upon them and she never handled the ambush like return of  _ those _ memories. Adora arrived at their hidden cabin first only for Catra to find her obsessively checking “the defenses” (“why do we need defenses, you’re  _ literally  _ a god!”) so that was a fun reunion. Even with Catra’s presence and her efforts to distract her, Adora couldn’t calm down no matter what her girlfriend said or did. Catra had coax/shove her into the bedroom and Adora was certain she put those weird herbs her tea when she wasn't looking to help her sleep- so she didn’t drink it. Exhausted already, Catra was out like a light within minutes of lying down. Adora watched her curl up, keeping a trained eye on her girlfriend’s chest to make sure she was still breathing.  _ Ok, go to sleep now… maybe now… now? Ugh! You’re doing it again, Adora!  _ Around hour two of this she got the idea to go get the sword and at least keep it close, and was just sneaking back under the covers when Catra stuck her head over her  and asked “Uh, what are you doing?”

She scared Adora so badly that if it weren’t for her cat like reflexes, they would have been more worried about her having a broken nose. Adora had a gigantic melt down anyway, blubbering through snot as tried to explain, but she didn’t get very far before Catra was smothering her, whispering words of conversations they had a million times. You’re safe. She’s not here. I got you. Catra’s stubbornness was one of the only forces enough to contend with Adora’s guilt, and she won the battle, convincing Adora to let go of the sword and let Catra hold and spoon her for the rest of night. She did sleep. In Catra’s arms she always did.

“It’s not like  _ that _ ,” Adora protested as Catra lied down next to her, raising an eyebrow at Adora’s sentiment. “Sleeping with knives is just an old habit.”

A low grumble came from Catra. “That’s hot.”

“Dork.” Adora shoved her shoulder.

“Uh, is that anyway to talk to your future  _ wife? _ ” Catra threw a hand against her forehead in a poor attempt to feign offense.

“Um, yeah,” she laughed, throwing up her hands. “You don’t think I’m actually gonna stop teasing you once we get married, right? It’s not like- in my vows or anything. ‘Oh, Catra I promise to love you, and take care of you, and never, ever-”

Flopping back on the bed, Catra covered her mouth. Adora knew she was smiling. “Oh my Gods-”

“-Ever, ever insult or tease you because I’m such a boring wife-”

“You’re bad at writing vows!” Now Catra was laughing even though she was trying with all her might not to, and Adora was practically glowing with pride. Of course she was going to keep going. She had to! Maybe mispronounce some words here and there cause her girlfriend  _ loved  _ that.

“-and this will be the dullest marriage in, how you say, Ayetheriah-”

“You  _ better  _ not be serious- ugh not  _ this  _ again-”

“-no, the entire uniayverse-”

“Stop,” Catra smacked her hand over Adora’s mouth, “You gotta stop babe, I’m too tired to be laughing this hard, okay?” She drew out the last word, trying to emphasize the importance of what she was saying, but Adora just couldn’t help herself. Right as Catra stopped talking, Adora stuck her tongue out and licked her palm. “Gross- Adora!” she squeaked as Adora dissolved into giggles before shoving her arm. “What are you, nine?”

“Hey, you put your hand over my mouth. Would’ve thought you’ve known me long enough to know I’d do that.’” Adora winked as Catra laid back down on the pillow.

Wiping her wet palm down the front of Adora’s shirt ( _ okay, yeah I had that coming),  _ Catra sighed. “Okay that one’s on me.” A few quiet seconds passed over them, and a look of quiet content fell over Catra’s face. “You don’t really think that we’re gonna have a boring marriage, do you?”

“What? Pfft- no, Catra I think- I think the opposite of that. Why- why would I ask you- sorry _mutually_ _agree_ I know you’re touchy about that- to marry you if I thought it was going to be boring? I mean, _nothing_ between us ever has been, so no. I’m not scared of that.” finished Adora, lacing their fingers together. Catra looked up at her, blinking her eyes ever so slowly that Adora took it as a good enough answer.

“Yeah,” she yawned, and everything about it and everything about her in that moment had Adora thanking her lucky stars that Catra was hers and she was Catra’s, “guess you’re right about that. Huh, you were right about something, that’s a surprise.”

Adora just rolled her eyes. Yeah, she was not going to justify that with a verbal response; she knew Catra was just reveling in the fact that Adora couldn’t help but smile at her chaotic antics. Instead, she opted for bringing her girlfriend closer. Catra readily indulged her, nuzzling her chin as she yawned again.  _ An Etherian War Hero, everyone,  _ Adora thought, running her fingers down the downy fur of her cheek,  _ about to fall pass out on me like an actual kitten.  _ Still, she fought to keep her eyes open. “Catra… you’re exhausted.” It wasn’t a question.

Her gentle expression fell and she turned away from Adora’s touch. “Yeah, well you’re not the only one who doesn’t sleep well.”

_ Well that’s an understatement.  _ Adora knew, that unlike many of the soldiers and rebels who’d fought in the war, Catra’s trauma and fight for her life began long before any of them were on the battlefield. Adora knew that her pain went deep and the only thing that had saved her was resilience and inner strength that went so much deeper. Her status as banished rogue had only served to fuck up an already suboptimal sleep schedule-  _ why thank you Shadow Weaver-  _ and like Adora, Catra was plagued and tormented by nightmares of her abuse. And while Adora’s constant adrenaline overload allowed her stave off dreaded sleep, Catra didn’t have that luxury because of what she called “an unfortunate flaw” in her species. When she fell asleep, she would awaken in a frenzied panic, screaming about red eyes and demon child snitches, until Adora wrestled her into a hug and tried to rock her gently back to reality, whispering affirmations of safety and love. Razz had tried to help with the nightmares- or more over just gave Adora a handful of herbs to put in a drink for Catra and then she started rambling about a blue man stealing her cantaloupes again-  but whatever Razz gave her backfired horrendously. Oh, Catra stayed asleep, just as Razz said she would- but Razz never said anything about full on night terrors or sleep walking. Adora knew there was no trying it again when Catra’s breathing started faltering… like she was suffocating.

That had been one hell of a terrible night.

“Scorpia said last time that you don’t even try to get sleep, babe.” whispered Adora, nudging her forehead.

Catra grumbled but still came back to Adora. “Ugh, tattletale.” Adora raised an eyebrow, “Oh come on, you know I hate those dumb beds they have at base camp! Plus, I’m not allowed to have any weapons in there cause the dumb council and the Bright Moon monarchy wanted it to be a place of peace or whatever...S’better to get work done than try in sleep in that weird, creepy room that gave me, and- and it’s not like anyone cares if I sleep during briefings or meetings.”

“Babe, you know they care, and you know they worry.”

“Yeah, I know.” sighed Catra. Then she bit her lip, her grip on Adora’s hand tightening. “Someone came into my room a couple of nights ago and I...I thought they were an assassin.”

Adora’s whole body turned to ice in an instant. Catra dying- Catra dying when she was off being She Ra and couldn’t do anything to stop it- that was without a doubt, Adora’s greatest fear. And now she was talking about actual assassination attempts? While she was  _ sleeping _ ? Oh, gods. “Wait, what-”

“They  _ weren’t  _ by the way. Just some lost kid who was working for an ambassador that had just transferred there. I scared the shit out of him.” the corner of her mouth perked up just a little bit, as if she we trying to laugh this whole thing off. “But yeah, I haven’t exactly thought about napping since. Everything sounds like  _ him,  _ Adora, like I turn around he’ll be there and it’s like I have to hold my breath all the time-”

“I know Catra, and I wish I could stop it... Just give you good night of sleep so you’d just feel better.” Adora’s voice broke. This feeling, this sense of powerlessness, was possibly the worst, most corrosive feeling. One of the most powerful beings in the universe? Please, she couldn’t even help her fiancée heal how was she ever going to be the wife she needed. But Catra… Catra could see that insecurity in her a mile away.

“She-Ra can’t fix how fucked up I am, Adora, and- and I'm okay with that. It's enough just to be with you.” Catra purred, bumping Adora’s nose with her own. “And hey, I was planning to crash at Bright Moon for a little while, so I’ll definitely being sleeping. Or… maybe I won’t, who knows?”

_ Oh does she  _ have  _ to wink at me like that? And why does my face feel like it’s on fire, we’re gonna get married in like two months? None of this is new  _ Adora swallowed. If she was not cool about this Catra would never let her live it down. “Then either way, we have something to look forward to.” Catra’s grin widened and she nuzzled Adora’s face, trailing her hand up her leg.  _ Nailed it.  _ “But sleep first, okay-”

“Ugh,” Catra sat up, “prude.”

_ It’s for your own good, babe.  _ But she didn’t have to say that; Catra came back to Adora anyway, leaning over her, like she always did. “Hey,” Adora smiled at her.

“What?” asked Catra, her nose scrunching up in that cute way Adora loved.

“I have something you can use to protect yourself with back at base.” Reveling in the look of complete confusion on her girlfriend’s face, Adora took her sweet time pulling out the knife from under her pillow. “Ta dah!”

“Awe, you’re gonna give me your precious pillow knife Adora, how chivalrous.” Catra hugged the knife to her chest like she would treasure such a gift forever and Adora found herself giggling.

“Glad you like it.” she said, propping herself up on her elbow.

Catra flopped back down on the bed. “One problem though, or did you forget about the no weapons rule so strictly enforced by everyone and by everyone I mean Scorpia?”

“No,” Adora snorted, “I mean, it’s not like you complain about  _ every  _ visit. Why don’t you just hide it under your pillow like I did? That way no one knows you’re secretly about to shank them?”

This earned Adora the  _ look  _ from her fiancée. The look that said, I know you think you sound cool babe but please, for the love of Etheria-  _ stop _ . “Okay, but what sharp object are  _ you  _ gonna hide under your pillow? You know, to fend off Bow and Glimmer when they wanna bury you in all their ideas for the wedding?”

“Ugh,  _ why  _ would you bring that up? Maybe I’ll just hide my ring in my boobs, like you, forever.” Adora grumbled as Catra started cackling. “But...to answer your question, don’t worry about me. That’s definitely not the only knife I have hidden in my bed.”

A split second passed by and Catra’s jaw dropped. Then she was tackling Adora’s shoulders, and kissing her like there was no tomorrow. “I fucking love you.” she practically growled, glowing with glee. A laugh escaped Adora’s lips.

“I fucking love you too, and I can’t wait to marry you.” Adora beamed, winding her fingers in the hair behind Catra’s ear. A squeal of happiness betraying her sexy exterior, Catra cupped her face and kissed her again, harder and with much more purpose.  _ Oh she definitely has a goal in mind. Guess we’ll sleep later. _

Adora’s knife fell off the bed with a  _ clink _ ! Needless to say her knife, or George and Lance’s letters, were not paid attention to for a  _ long _ time.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear what you think! Did you catch all the little nods to different theories? but comments and kudos are always, ALWAYS, appreciated!!!
> 
> you know where to find me! [princessofgayskull](https://princessofgayskull.tumblr.com)
> 
> we now return to our regularly scheduled upper west side


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